Can anastomotic urinary leakage in robotic prostatectomy be considered as a marker of surgical skill?

INTRODUCTION: The study was conducted to analyze whether the anastomotic urinary leakage (AUL) rate in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) can be considered as a marker of surgical skill. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Post-operative cystograms taken after RARP, performed between 2006 and 2016 at a third-level university urology center, were prospectively collected. Cystograms were scheduled for all patients on post-operative day 6, but were performed over a range from days 4 to 10 (median 6). In cases of mild, moderate or excessive AUL (according to Han's classification), catheters were maintained; in the other cases, they were removed. RESULTS: Data from 1366 consecutive patients undergoing RARP were collected. The incidence of AUL at first check-up was 18.1%, with a descending trend when RARP were performed by the same surgeon. Evaluating the influence of differing technical modifications on leakage, the AUL rate was significantly lower after the introduction of posterior reconfigurations and a single posterior stitch. The introduction of barbed sutures was initially associated with an increase of leakage, but only in the first year. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes the effect of increasing experience and technical modifications in RARP on the AUL rate in a third-level university Italian center over a 10-year period; by stratifying data, we demonstrated a strong correlation between robotic surgical skill and AUL rate, which can therefore be used as an indicator of surgical proficiency.